{"id":86369,"date":"2026-06-29T10:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/les-mills-fitness-brand-founder-and-olympian-dies-aged-91\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T10:55:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:55:00","slug":"les-mills-fitness-brand-founder-and-olympian-dies-aged-91","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=86369","title":{"rendered":"Les Mills fitness brand founder and Olympian dies aged 91"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Fitness expert and former Olympian Les Mills has died at the age of 91, his family has said.<\/b><\/p>\n

The New Zealander first opened a gym in Auckland with his late wife Colleen in 1968, and it later became a nationwide chain. <\/p>\n

The Les Mills International brand is now known around the world for choreographed workouts set to music, like Body Pump and Body Combat.<\/p>\n

Mills, who competed in shot putt and discus at four Olympic Games, later served as mayor of Auckland. <\/p>\n

Mills’ son Phillip, who set up Les Mills International with partner Jackie on the back of his parents’ gyms, said he “achieved a huge amount in his life”. <\/p>\n

He added: “And the common thread throughout \u2013 whether in fitness, politics or family life \u2013 was that he always wanted to help others.<\/p>\n

“Dad was immensely strong, driven, and always cared deeply for the less advantaged.”<\/p>\n

He said that his father’s “spirit lives on in gym workouts around the world, continuing to help people fall in love with fitness”.<\/p>\n

Mills won five Commonwealth Games medals, including discus gold in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1966. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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